Magazine gun



J; LIAUMANNV 6 Sheets-eSheet 1.

MAGAZINE GUN.

Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

(No Model.)

mi Norms warms coy, PHDTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, u. c.

(No Model.) 6 SheetsS heet 2.

J. LAUMANN.

MAGAZINE GUN.

No. 534 894. Patented Feb. 26, 1895 & t e e h S m e e h S 6 NN U G. Mm m T M U, 6 d 0 M 0 m Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsS heet 4.

J. LAUMANN.

MAGAZINE GUN.

9 v. 1 P d G T HE uonms FEVERS no PNOTO-LITMKL. WASHINGTON o x.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. LAUM ANN.

MAGAZINE GUN.

No. 534,894 Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

:2 .ZH s 1Q WW JOSEF LAUMANN, OF-VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, AssIeNoR TO V'GEBRUDER SCHONBERGER, or SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE GUN..

SFEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,8 94, dated February 26, 1895.

Application filed October 81,1892. Serial No. 450,500. (No model.) Patented in FraneeApril 4,1890,No.204,810; in Belgium May 13,1890, No- 90,546 in Germany February 22, 1891, No. 59,655: in Italy June 30,1891, 978 LXIV,190; in Austria- Hungary March 14, 1892, No. 27,794 and No. 85,062, and October 25, 1892, No. 14,854 and No. 48,088, and in England October 20,1892,No.18,823i

To all whom it may concern.-

- Be it known that I, J OSEF LAUMANN, gunmaker, a subject of the Emperor of Austria- Hungary, residing at Vienna, Austria-Hungary, No. VIII, Kaiserstrasse, No.80, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oontinuous- Firing ll/lagazine-Firearms, (for which I have obtained the following patents: in Austria-Hungary, No. 27,794: and No. 85,062, dated March 14, 1892; in France, Patent of Addition dated March 21, 1892, to No. 204,810, dated April 4, 1890; in Germany, No. 64,215, dated November 27, 1891, Patent of Additionto No. 59,655, dated February 22, 1891; in Austria-Hungary, No.14,851 and No.

7 48,088, dated October 25, 1892; in Belgium,

No. 101,625, dated October 7, 1892, Patent of Addition to No. 90,546, dated May 13, 1890; in Great Britain, No. 18,823, dated October 20,1892,and in Italy, No. 1,789,Reg. At-t. Vol. LXIV, No. 313, issued October 22, 1892, Patent of Addition to No. 978, Reg. Att. Vol. LVIII, No. 190, dated June 30,1891,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of magazine lire arms in which the cooking is either effected, or rendered continuous, by the resilience of the gases driving the breech bolt back to the rear of the cartridges; and the main objects of it are to prevent the recoil making itself felt by the marksman, to relieve him of the duty of attending to or concerning himself with any of the subsidiary actions of the mechanism after he has pulled the trigger once, to allow of his concentrating his whole attention on aiming, to perfect the automatic mechanism so as to prevent its continuous operation being unintentionally interfered with, to prevent accidents during the act of loading or While carrying the weapon loaded and to enable themarksinan to cease firingat will.

The practical advantages of the present invention are as follows: There is no kick or recoil. The firing is improved in certainty inasmuch as the marksman, having nothing to do with working the firing mechanism, is at liberty to concentrate his Whole attention upon his aim, and when he has got this exactly, there is no risk of its being disturbed by his having to move his fingers or hands. The range and penetration are improved, for there is no escape of gas from the barrel, (as there is from that of a revolver, for instance,) inasmuch as the bullet has left the barrel before the breech is opened. It is applicable to all repeating fire arms irrespective of their size, but more particularly to those the breech mechanism of which is, generally, of the type which characterizes two prior inventions of mine for which I have made application for Letters Patent of the United States, May 12, 1890, Serial No. 351,558, and May 23, 1891, Serial No. 393,872. For that reason, I have, for the purpose of specifying and illustrating my invention, selected a small armto Wit: a pistolthe breech mechanism of which is of the type above referred to.

The invention includes improvements in, first, the breech bolt and firing pin mechanism; second, the firing mechanism; third, the safety mechanism.

It is by the mutual co-operation of the subsidiary improvements enumerated above that the main object of the present invention is attained; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, and one which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto carry it out practically, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part of this specification, and read therewith.

' Figure 1 is a sectional longitudinal elevation from the left side, illustrating the position of the several parts at the moment of firing and just before the bullet is started. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the left side of the firing pin. Fig. 3 is a plan thereof. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the left side of the breech bolt. Fig. 5 is a plan thereof. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan taken on the line 5*5 of Fig. 4:, but showing the firing pin in its retracted or cooked position. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a part sectional plan of the closing block of the breech bolt. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Figs.

4 and 5, omitting the closing block. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal elevation from the right side, illustrating the cooked position. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the left side of the combined breech bolt lever and the external finger lever. Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the said levers. Fig. 12 is a detached elevation of the trigger and firing lever illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 13 is a sectional longitudinal elevation from the left side, showing the mechansim in the uncooked position. Fig. 14 is a sectional longitudinal elevation, from the left side, showing the mechanism in the uncooked position. The dotted lines show the mechanism in the cooked and firing position. Fig. 15 is a detached elevation of the trigger and firing lever illustrated in Fig. 14. Figs. 15 and 15 are, respectively, side elevation and plan of the main spring. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal elevation from the right side, showing by the full lines the depressing piece holding the breech bolt back and locking the firing mechanism in the uncooked position. Fig. 17 is a rear elevation showing by the full lines the safety lever in its inoperative position and the depressing piece and finger lever in the cooked position. Fig. 18 is an elevation of the right side of the pivoted depressing piece. Fig. 19 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 20 is an elevation of the left side of the same part. Fig. 21 is a front elevation of the combined breech bolt lever and finger lever with its pivoted depressing piece.

Throughout this specification, the expression cocked refers to the position of the parts immediately preceding the act of firing, and uncooked to that immediately preceding the cooked position. The terms left, right, front, and rear are to be understood as if the reader were the marksman with the weapon in front of him and at the present.

Ais the standing breech; B, the action body or chamber containing the breech, trigger and firing mechanisms; 0, the frame of the stock, and D, the cartridge magazine chamber. These parts are, preferably, made in one piece.

The cartridge magazine chamber is open at the top to receive a charged magazine, and also at the bottom to allow of the emptied magazine dropping through.

E is the cartridge magazine; K, the cartridge lifter; 70, its pivot, and Zr, its actuating spring.

10 is a stud upon the top of the spring. It is provided for the purpose of preventing friction between the spring and the lifter.

I. The breech-bolt and firing-pin mechcmism.Referring to Figs. 1,4 to 11, 13, 14, 16 and 17, His the breech bolt. The standing breech A is bored out to receive it as heretofore, and the bolt slides backward and forward therein according to the motion of the breech bolt lever described farther on. The bore of the standing breech is axially aligned with that of the barrel. Thebolt itself is tubular to receive the firing pin and its spring, and to allow them to work therein. The front end is closed, but is perforated in the center to allow the nose of the firing pin to pass through it. There is a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the breech bolt to allow of the protrusion through it as well as the to-and-fro motion along it, of a stud 0' depending from thefiring pin. There is also a second slot in the left side of the said bolt through and along which a lateral enlargement of the firing pin projects and moves.

71 is the automatic cartridge extractor. It may be dispensed with, and an extractor,detached from the breech bolt, be used to extract a cartridge that has missed fire.

71. is a hollow rectangular extension of the left side of the breech bolt. Its cavity communicates with that of thelatter. It extends from the rear end of the bolt toward the front, stopping short at the position occupied by the rear edge of the top of the breech. bolt lever I (next described) when the latter is in the uncooked position. This extension h, together with the locking bar J described farther on, are aligned when the latter is in the horizontal position and both project into and move to and fro in a slot in the left side of the standing breech. The front of the extension k is open to admit of the entrance of the projections g, 9 described farther on.

It is a closing block. In cross section it corresponds with the breech bolt and its extension h and fits within the rear thereof in which position it is held by a screw it or its equivalent. The bore of the breech bolt is continued into the closing block, and a central hole 71.7 is formed through the latter for the adjacent end of the firing pin to pass through when the said pin is retracted. At the same time, the actuating springo is forced into the bore of the closing block hiand is thereby protected from undue compression during continuous firing. It is the solid and rectangular portion fitting within the extension 72. that serves as a stop for the firing pin by standing in the return path of the enlargement of the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 5*. This enlargement is fully described in the next section.

I is the breech bolt lever; and U, its finger lever. The latter is outside the chamber B and close to the right plate thereof, .and the former inside of it. Both levers I and Uare held fast to each other by a tubular cross piece u, which is bored to receive a fixed pin 1' which latter serves as a fulcrum for both. The

said pin is fixed to the side plates of the cham-' ber 15 in any convenient way. It may advantageously be made as a screw pin, its threaded end being screwed. tightly into the finger lever, and its head adapted to hold the cov IIO scribed is out of action.

,41 are a pair of horns projecting from the top of the lever I and standing one on each side of the stud j described farther on. The function of the horns and stud are to establish and maintain a connection between the said lever and the breech bolt.

Jis the breech bolt locking bar. It is pivoted upon a stud j The left hand vertical edge of its nose j is beveled off as shown in the drawings, while an incline 9' is formed upon the top of it.

h is a notch in the standing breech. It is adapted, in respect both of position and shape, to receive the said nose as the breech bolt is pulled forward into the cooked position. As the rear end of the bar J is rectangular in elevation, the rear face of the notch slopes upward and backward. When the bar J is so engaged in the said notch, its bottom side rests upon the adjacent face of the notch, while its operative nose bears against the said upwardly sloping rear face for the purpose of preventing the explosion in the barrel driving the breech boltback prematurely.

7' is a studprojecting from the left side of the bar J. This stud is nearer to the nosej than to the pivotj of thebar, and stands between the two horns i '5 already described.

m is the main spring. Its rear end is held bya screw pin m in a suitable seating in the stock frame 0..

m is the main spring lever through which the power of the main spring is brought to bear upon the breech-bolt lever I. The lever on has its fulcrum upon a pin m which is fixed as far in front of the axis of the breech bolt lever as the chamber B allows, and always above the fulcrum of the said lever.

m is a cavityin the top of the lever m; and m a convex enlargement upon the left side of the adjacent end of the main spring. The latter stands in the cavity m for the purpose of maintaining a smooth contact between spring and lever.

m is the convex nose of the lever m.

an -see Figs. 14, 16, and 17is an adj usting screw. It can be screwed backward or forward in a diagonal direction through the frame 0 of the stock and in front of the fulcrum of the main spring m, so that when it is screwed through the frame far enough, it will bear upon the main spring in front of its fulcrum and so increase the pressure of the main spring lever m upon the ledge 2' on the breech bolt lever, for the purpose of offering increased resistance to the uncocking action of the explosion. Unscrewing the screw m will, of course, have just the opposite effect. By means of this adjusting screw, the resistance of the main spring can be adjusted to the strength of the powder used. To prevent mistakes, the head of this screw is not notched for in that case it would be possible to turn it by means of an ordinary screw driver, but

is solid so that a special key must be supplied to move it. I

2' is a ledge or lateral extension upon the right hand side of the breech bolt lover I. It is shown as on the right side of the latter, but is in any case in the same vertical plane as the convex nose of the lever m in order that the latter may always be bearing upon it. The surface of the ledge is concave from rear to front, where it merges into a convexity 2' which stands at a higher level than the point on the rear edge of the trigger lever from which the said ledge starts. The constant pressure of the lever m, shorter than the dis tance separating its fulcrum m from that of the breech-bolt lever I, upon the ledge t always tends to pull the said breech-bolt lever to the front. i is an antifriction roller fitted in the convexity i so as to prevent friction between the latter and the main spring lever m. II. The firing mechanism.-Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, 9, 12, 13,16 and 17, O is the firing pin; and 0, its actuating spring. The latter exerts its resilience between the closing block if and the rear end of the firing pin. On the left side of the latter there is a lateral enlargement consisting of three studs or projections 0', g and 9 The stud 0' has already been'referred to. It is fast to the under side of the firing pin, and projects downward therefrom through the longitudinal slot in the bottom of the breech bolt, likewise already referred to, just behind the detent 0 of the firing lever when the latter is in its normal position, 11. e., when it is not under the influence of the trigger S.

g is a lateral projection from the left side of the firing pin. It is so positioned upon the latter that when the locking barJ is engaged in its notch h, it (the projection g) shall stand over the lower end of the said bar so far as to hold it down in the notch, being adapted thereby to act as a brake upon the recoil of the breech bolt. The front face of the projection is beveled or concaved upward and forward to allow of the operative nose j of the locking bar J, as it slides up the rear face of the notch 77., engaging with the said front face for the purpose of pushing the firing pin rearward.

g is a second lateral extension from the firing pin. It stands to the rear of the one just described, and is so positioned on the said pin that it engages the born 1' only of the breech bolt lever I.

Referring to Fig. 1, P is the firing lever. It has its fulcrum in a pin p. 0 is the firing pin detent. It is pivoted upon the upper arm of the firing lever. The function of this detent is to stand in the path of and before the stud 0' which has been already described as depending from the firing pin, for the purpose of detaining the latter and holding it back in the position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 9. Accordingly, it projects upward into, and, when it is in its operative position, through and above, a vertical hole a in the bottom of the standing breech. Inasmuch as the arm which is the subject of the present invention is automatic in respect of the act of firing, the necessity arises for making it automatic also in respect of the return of the firing pin detent to its operative position; because the cocking of the breech bolt is effected much too rapidly for the marksman to release the trigger quickly enough to permit of the said return being effected in time for the firing pin detent 0 to stand in front of the stud 0. This necessity is met as follows: The trigger S (described in the next paragraph) and the firing lever contact with each other not directly,but through a contact piece 19 This is pivoted upon the side of the lever by a screw pin 19 from which it projects to the front opposite to and confronting the nose of the trigger. This contact piece is capable of being rocked vertically in either direction, but this rocking motion is limited by a shoulder 25 which stands above it. It is held in its normal positionthe one illustratedby a spring 19 which has its bearing in or upon the lower arm of the firing lever.

p is a pin fast upon the firing lever to the rear of its fulcrum. It stands up through a hole in the stock frame 0 for a reason to be explained farther on.

p isaspiral returning spring upon the pin. It bears against the inner face of the stock frame and tends to maintain the lever P in its normal positionthe one illustrated by the full lines.

S is the trigger. It is shown clearly in either Figs. 1, 12 or 13. It has its fulcrum upon a pin The outer arm of the trigger stands and is moved within the trigger guard 8 Thislatteris fixed to the mechanism chamber 13 by a tenon s engaging in a mortise in the stock frame 0 in front of the said guard, and by-a screw 3 behind it, and which holds a rearward extension of the guard to the said frame.

The inner arm of the trigger is bent down within the stock frame 0 so that it stands normally in front of, and to some extent lower than, the contact piece 19 The trigger is held in its normal p0sitionthe one indicated by'the full linesby a returning spring 3 The base of this latter is made fast to the stock at and its nose 8 is made to engage with the trigger by entering a fork formed upon the end thereof. The prong s is the one which contacts with the contact piece 19 The lower one s is the one upon which the spring 3 exerts its strength.

Referring to Fig. 13, the modification in the firing mechanism illustrated therein consists in replacing the springs 10 and p by a long one 19 This is in one piece with the trigger spring 8 but independent of it as far as the action of either is concerned, and their common base is made fast in a slot in an internal enlargement c of the stock frame 0. The lower arm of the firing lever is also shortpiece, firing lever andfiring pin detent, as the 7 same is illustrated in the three figures last mentioned, provides for the return of the firing pin detent to its operative position immediately after the shot has been fired, and is, in that respect, quite independent of the time the marksman holds the trigger back. It acts as follows: \Vheu the trigger is pulled after the arm has been duly cocked, the prong 88 is pressed against the adjacent face of the contact piece p As the latter is prevented from being rocked upon its pivot 19 by the shoulder 25 above it, the lower arm of the firing lever P is rocked backward on its fulcrum p and the detent '0 drawn down from before the stud 0', thereby releasing the firing pin 0. The trigger and firing lever are now in the position indicated by the dotted lines, the prong 3 having passed the contact piece 19 The returning spring (p or p as the case may be) on the instant and by pressing on the firing lever P, returns the detent o to its operative position. The trigger must be released before another shot can be fired, and returned to its normal positionthe one indicated by the full lines of Figs. 1 and 13- without moving the firing lever or the firing pin detent. As soon as it is released, it is so returned by the spring 5 the contact piece 99 yielding before the downward motion of the prong s and being forthwith returned to its operative position-also the one indicated by the full lines-by its returning spring--10 or 79 as the case may be.

The modification of the firing mechanism illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, provides for the arm continuing to fire automatically after the trigger has been pulled once, and for this continuous firing -to be interrupted by the marksman at will. It is therefore specially suitable for arms which are fitted with capacious magazines. The upper arm of the firing lever is continued toward the front and carries an upright releasing pin 0 This pin stands up through a holeo in the bottom of the standing breech, and projects into the notch h sufficiently far for its depression by the locking bar J during the completion of the act of cooking the breech bolt, to disengage the detent 0 from before the stud 0' on the firing pin. 19 is a notch on the under side of the said arm of the firing lever; and p, the nose of an extension of the trigger. This nose p is so positioned with reference to the notch 19 that when the trigger is released by the marksman, the said nose enters the notch and holds the pin 0 standing up in the notch h thereby effectually obstructing the next cock, and so enabling the marksman to cease firing at will.

III. The safety mechanism-The objects of this part of my invention are:(a), to lock the breech bolt and firing mechanism in the uncooked position that the act of loading the magazine chamber may be effected without risk of accidents; and, (b), to lock the breech bolt and firing mechanism in the cocked position so that unintentional firing may be impossible.

Referring to Figs. 1, 9, 13, 14, 16 and 17, r is a lever. It has its fulcrum upon a screw pin T which enters the rear plate of the chamber B. The lever r therefore works in. the vertical plane. Its left half is roughened to improve the marksmans grip upon it when he wishes to move it by handin either direction upon its fulcrum. Its right side at r is thickened a little.

R is a lockingbolt. Itliesin an are shaped slot r cut in the rear plate of the chamber B. This slot is concentric with the axis of the lever T The rear end of the bolt R is made fast to the said lever. It projects horizontally into the chamber B, and its inner end carries a lateral extension 9''. The position of this extension on the bolt R is such that by moving the lever Win the required direction as explained further on, it can be entered either into the notch t in the front edge of the lever I or into the notch t in the rear edge thereof, or withdrawn from either, according as to whether the said lever is in the uncocked or the cocked posit-ion. WVhen the lever is rocked into the position indicated by the dotted linesin Fig. 17, the thickened part r stands immediately in front of the pin 19 which normally projects above the stock, and prevents the latter being moved to the front. This immobility on the part of the pin 19 looks the detent 0 on the firing lever in front of the stud 0' on the firing pin, and the extension 1" into the-notch in the front edge of the uncooked lever I. The mechanisms are thereby locked in the uncooked position. The same motion on the part of the lever r locks the mechanisms in the cooked position by locking the firing pin as already described, and by also rocking the extension 1- up into the notch in the rear edge of the lever I. r is a notch'in the bottom edge of the lever r into which a spring detent 4, which is fixed upon the stock, engages to prevent its being accidentally moved out of its then position.

It has already-been pointed out that the act of pulling back the finger lever U uncocks the weapon. Figs. 16 to 21 illustrate devices by means of which this act operates the lever r so as to accomplish either of the two objects of the safety mechanism. Thelever T has a rigid extension r formed in one piece with it. This projects to the right hand past the side of the chamber 13.

u is a depressing piece pivoted to the finger lever U on the pivot n It stands and works between the said lever and the chamber B. U3 is an extension of it standing to the rear of the top of the finger lever U. It is adapted'to engage and depress the extension r when both the depressing piece a and the finger lever are pulled to the rear. Provision however must be made for the prevention of the extension n reaching the extension r and actuating the lever r when the Weapon is firing automatically. This is effected by placing a small spring 1&4 adapted to hold the extension it close up to the lever between the latter and the depressing piece to. When it is so held up close to the said lever, it will rock short of the extension W, as indicated by the dotted lines V in Fig. 16. The lever r is shown in the locked position by the full lines in Fig. 16, and the dotted lines in Fig. 17, and vice versa.

A Weapon constructed according to the present invention is used as follows:

Uncockt'ng by hand, loading and coc7ting The weapon is held in the left hand by the magazine chamber D, and the finger lever U pulled back with the rightindex finger. The breech-bolt lever I being fast to the finger pivot vi. The horn 2' engagesthe stud j and pushes the locking-bar J to the rear without any difficnlty, although the nose of it 7' has to ride up the upwardly sloping rear face of the notch h, because the horn tof the breechbolt lever engages the projection g on the firing pin 0 and pushes the latter to the rear against the resilience of its spring 0, thus releasing the locking bar J from the pressure of the projection g of the firing pin 0. As soon as the bar J has assumed a horizontal position, the lever I bears against the front of the extension h and completes the uncocking of the breech bolt. As the latter has been moving to the rear, the stud 0 has passed to the rear of the detent 0 on the firing lever. The breech bolt and firing mechanisms are next locked in their uncooked position by the lever T The latter is actuated either by pushing the roughened left half upward with the thumb of the right hand, or by bringing the extension a of the depressing piece 11, upon the extension r of the lever r. In either case, the pin p will be blocked and the firing lever locked. As the weapon is also fitted with -the bolt R, the extension 4" is at the same time moved into the notch 19 in the front edge of the breech bolt lever I, thereby looking it. The act of uncocking is very easy as it is effected only against the power of the main spring while all other resistances are removed by the lever I on the first movement thereof. A charged magazine E is next inserted in the magazine chamber D. In connection with this I have to point out that as my invention provides for the weapon being made as an automatic continuous firing one, the magazine and the magazineichamber can be made as capacious as is desirable. The lever r is next turned back by the right thumb into its original position thereby freeing the lever I. The main spring m, acting upon the said lever through the main spring lever m and the concave ledge '6 rocks it to the front, causing it, through the engagement of the horn 2' with the stud level, itis rocked therewith on their common IIO j, to cock the breech bolt which latter loads the top cartridge into the barrel on its way. As the breech bolt is moved to the front, the locking bar J is pulled down into the notch h, and the spring 0 of the firing pin is compressed between the lateral enlargement on the firing pinthe stud 0 of which is held immovable by the detent 0 on the firing lever P-and the closing block W, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. If the weapon is not to be fired forthwith, the lever r is again moved by pushing its roughened left hand extension up with the right thumb. This locks the loaded weapon in its cocked position in respect of both the breech bolt and the firing mechanism.

Ft'ring.-When the trigger S is pulled, its upper prong s is pressed against the pivoted contact piece 10 and rocks it upon its pivot 19 against the shoulder t. The motion of the prong is then communicated to the firinglever P, which being turned on its fulcrump against the resilience of its returning spring (p or p as the case may he) pulls the detent 0 from before the stud 0'. At the same time the prong .9 passes the contact piece 19 in an upward direction. The withdrawal of the detent o from before the stud 0 frees the firing pin which is forthwith driven forward by its spring 0 and the cartridge in the barrel is fired. Before the actual impact of the firing pin 0 upon the cartridge cap, the projection g has reached a position over the depressed locking bar J. The latter is therefore, at the moment of firing, held down by the presence over it of the said extension and also by the main spring m acting in the manner already described. As soon as the stud 0' has passed the detent 0 the returning spring of the firing lever pushes the said detent up in the return path of the said stud to be ready to lock the firing pin back in the next cocking. The contact piece yields to the presence of the prong s by moving on its pivot. After it has passed the said prong, it is returned to its original position by the spring 19 The trigger S is also released and returned by its spring 5 Automatic mtc0c7mlng.1mmediately after the fire has been delivered, the resilient gases in the barrel begin to uncock the breech bolt and firing pin by pressing upon the noses of both. The studj is pushed against the horn 2". The projection g acting as a brake is engaged by the forced rise of the locking bar J up the sloping rear face of the notch h, and the uncocking is completed against the force of the main spring m by the said gases. It is due to the opposition to the motion of uncocking which the said spring and the presence of the projection g present, that the bullet is out of the barrel before the locking bar has assumed a horizontal position. The effect of the action of the projection g and of the main spring m during the time of uncocking upon the resilience of the gases in the barrel is simply this: The power of the latter is absorbed by thesaid projection and spring gradually so that the recoil is overcome by a calculated resistance, instead of being communicated to the stock of the weapon.

Automatic firing.-IVith an arm constructed as illustrated in Fig. 14:, the cock leaves the locking bar J resting upon the releasing pin 0 When the trigger S is pulled, the nose 1) on the forward trigger arm is withdrawn from the notch 19 and the pressure or forward pull of the main spring m upon the breech bolt lever I forces the bar J to the bottom of its notch h, thereby turning the firing lever P against the resilience of its returning spring p and releasing the firing pin 0. The spring 19* returns the detent 0 immediately the stud 0 has passed it. As long as the trigger S is held back, the firing will proceed automatically until the magazine is exhausted; but as soon as the trigger is released, its returning spring drives the nose 19 up against the firing lever P and into the notch 19 in the 7 latter, thereby compelling it to hold the detaining pin 0 projecting up into the notch 71' and the detent 0 in front of the stud 0.

In a fire arm constructed according to the present invention there are three resistances to be taken into consideration(a) the resistances to the uncocking of the breech bolt due to the engagement of the nose of the looking bar in the notch in the bottom of the standing breech; (b) the resistance to the rise of the locking bar out of the notch in the bottom of the standing breech due to the presence of the lateral enlargement of the firing pin; (0) the resistance to the uncocking of the breech bolt due to the constant pressure of the main spring through the main spring lever. The first two resistances are however in action only for a short time, viz., until the locking bar has regained a horizontal position. \Vhen the bar has attained that position, they cease to act, for they have achieved the purpose for which they were designed-that of absorbing the initial strength of the recoil, while the main spring exercises an equalizing and regulating action. The two resistances now under consideration do not, it is to be noticed, offer any opposition whatever to the act of cooking, which is effected by the main spring alone.

I claim- 1. The combination of breech bolt leverpivoted upon a fulcrum at or near the bottom of the action body and connected by its top end with the breech bolt, an external finger lever fast to the said lever and moving with it about the same fulcrum, a convexity upon the side of the breech bolt lever, a main spring lever having its fulcrum near the front of the action body and at a higher level than that of the levers above mentioned, and a main spring adapted to always keep the nose of the main spring lever pulling the said convexity forward.

2. The combination of breech bolt lever pivoted upon a fulcrum at or near the bottom of IIC the action body and connected by its top end with the breech bolt, an external fingerlever fast to the said lever and moving with it about the same fulcrum, a convexity upon the side of the breech bolt lever, a main springlever having its fulcrum near the front of the action body and at a higher level than that of the levers above mentioned, a main spring adapted to always keep the nose of the main spring lever pulling the said convexity forward, and an adjusting screw adapted by being screwed to and fro through the frame of the stock to exert a greater or less pressure upon the main spring at a point between its base and its operative nose.

The combination with the firing lever and the firing pin detent thereon, of a contact piece pivoted on the firing lever, a trigger adapted to disengage the firing pin detent and aspring adapted by normal pressure upon the firing lever to keep the said detent always standing in the path of the respective stud on the firing pin, as set fort-h.

4. The combination with the firing lever and the firing pin detent thereon, of a contact piece pivoted on the firing lever, a trigger adapted to disengage the firing pin detent, a closing block having a longitudinal bore adapted to receive the spring of the firing pin as it is being compressed and aspring adapted by normal pressure upon the firing lever to keep the said detent always standing in the path of the respective stud on the firing pin, as set forth.

5. The combination with the firing lever and the firing pin detent thereon, of a contact piece pivoted upon the said lever, a trigger adapted to disengage the firing pin and a V spring adapted to engage by one arm with the trigger and to hold it in its normal position and by the other arm with the contact piece and to thereby keep the firing pin detent always standing in the path of the respective stud on the firing pin, as set forth.

6. The combination with trigger and firing lever, of firing pin detent on the latter, pivoted contact piece on the firing lever standing in the path of an inner arm of the trigger, adapted to communicate the motion of the said arm to the said lever and to yield before the return motion of the said arm, a returning spring to return the said contact piece and a returning spring adapted to return the firing lever and the firing pin detent.

7. The combination of an internal breech bolt lever, an external finger lever aligned with the said breech bolt lever and adapted to work in a plane parallel with that in which the said breech bolt lever works, a cross piece.

holding them together and a fulcrum common to them both standing transversely across the lower part of the breech mechanism chamber, as set forth.

8. The combination of an internal breech bolt lever, an external finger lever aligned with the said breech bolt lever and adapted to work in a plane parallel with that in which the said breech bolt lever works, a cross piece holding the two levers fast together, a fulcrum common to them both and standing transversely across the lower part of the chamber of the breech mechanism and a transverse safety lever having its fulcrum upon the rear plate of the arm andstanding in the rearward path of the said finger lever and adapted, when the said finger lever turns it on its fulcrum, to lock the breech bolt lever in the cooked position, as set forth.

9. The combination of an internal breech bolt lever, an external finger lever aligned with the said breech bolt lever and adapted to work in a plane parallel with that in which the said breech bolt lever works, a cross piece holding the two lovers fast together, a fulcrum common to them both and standing transversely across the lower part of the chamber of the breech mechanism, a depressing piece pivoted upon the said external finger lever and standing between it and the said safety lever and a spring between the said finger lever and depressing piece and adapted, by forcing the latter forward from the former, to prevent it from actuating the safety lever, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of September, 1892.

JOSEF LAUMANN.

WVitnesses:

VICTOR VON SoHoNBEReER,

Vienna XIX Hirschengtzsse 28 B. LEOPOLD SANGER, Vienna III Gerlgasse 15. 

